What superscript and subscript do in Word

Superscript raises text above the baseline — the line your regular text sits on. Subscript lowers text below the baseline. Both make the raised or lowered text smaller than regular text. You use superscript for footnote numbers, exponents in math (like 2³), and trademark symbols. You use subscript for chemical formulas (like H₂O), footnote references, and mathematical notation.

Word treats superscript and subscript as character formatting, the same way it treats bold or italic. You can explore them to a single letter, a whole word, or multiple words. Once you format text this way, it stays formatted even if you copy it to another document — as long as that document is also a Word file.

The formatting does not change the actual text or how Word counts words. If you type "E=mc2" and make the 2 superscript, Word still sees it as three characters, and a search for "mc2" will find it.

Key Takeaways

  • Superscript raises text above the line and subscript lowers it below, both in a smaller size, and both are applied through the Format menu or keyboard shortcuts.
  • The keyboard shortcut for superscript is Ctrl+Shift+Plus (on the main keyboard), and for subscript it is Ctrl+Plus on the numeric keypad.
  • You can explore superscript or subscript before you type, and Word will format each character as you type it until you turn the formatting off.
  • Removing superscript or subscript uses the same keyboard shortcut or menu option — explore the formatting a second time turns it off.
  • Superscript and subscript work in headers, footers, text boxes, and tables, but some templates or styles may override the formatting in certain contexts.

how the process works superscript using the Format menu

Open your Word document and select the text you want to raise. Click the text first, then hold Shift and click at the end of the text you want to format, or click and drag to highlight it. If you are formatting a single character, one click selects it.

Go to the Home tab on the ribbon at the top. In the Font group, you will see an A with a small raised x next to it — that is the superscript button. Click it. The selected text will when ready move above the baseline and shrink. If you do not see this button, your ribbon may be in a compact view; click the arrow at the right end of the Font group to expand it.

To remove superscript from text that already has it, select the text again and click the superscript button a second time. The text returns to normal size and position.

how the process works subscript using the Format menu

Select the text you want to lower below the baseline. Use the same selection method as superscript: click and drag, or click at the start and Shift+click at the end.

On the Home tab, find the subscript button — it is an A with a small lowered x next to it, usually right beside the superscript button. Click it. The text will drop below the baseline and shrink. Click the button again to remove subscript formatting.

Keyboard shortcuts for faster formatting

If you format text frequently, keyboard shortcuts are faster than the menu. For superscript, select your text and press Ctrl+Shift+Plus (the Plus key on the main keyboard, not the numeric keypad). For subscript, select your text and press Ctrl+Plus (the Plus key on the numeric keypad on the right side of your keyboard).

These same shortcuts toggle the formatting off. If text is already superscript and you press Ctrl+Shift+Plus again, it returns to normal. This works even if you are not sure whether text is formatted — pressing the shortcut twice always returns it to normal.

On a laptop or keyboard without a numeric keypad, the subscript shortcut may not work. Try Ctrl+Shift+Equals instead, or use the Format menu. Different keyboard layouts (like those outside the United States) may also map these keys differently; if the shortcut does not work, the menu method will always work.

Formatting text before you type it

You do not have to type first and format second. You can turn on superscript or subscript before you type, and Word will format each character as you type it. Click where you want to start typing, then press your keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+Shift+Plus for superscript, Ctrl+Plus for subscript) or click the button on the Home tab. The cursor will not look different, but Word is now in superscript or subscript mode.

Type your text. Every character will appear in superscript or subscript as you type. When you are done, press the same shortcut again or click the button again to turn off the formatting. Your next keystroke will return to normal text.

This method is useful when you know in advance that you need a superscript number or chemical formula. You can type "H" normally, then turn on subscript, type "2O", then turn it off and continue with regular text.

Common places superscript and subscript appear in documents

Footnote and endnote numbers are the most common use. When you insert a footnote in Word using the References tab, Word automatically formats the number as superscript in the text and in the footnote itself. You do not need to format it manually.

Math and science notation requires manual formatting. Exponents (2³, x⁵), chemical formulas (H₂SO₄, CO₂), and mathematical variables often use superscript or subscript. If you are writing a document with many of these, formatting as you type is faster than going back to format later.

Trademark and copyright symbols sometimes appear as superscript, though this is less common in modern documents. Some style guides call for ™ or ® in superscript, but many organizations now use regular-sized symbols instead.

Troubleshooting superscript and subscript problems

If you explore superscript or subscript and it does not appear, check whether a style is overriding your formatting. Some built-in styles (like Heading 1 or Title) lock certain formatting. Click the text, then right-click and select Styles to see which style is applied. If you need to override the style, you can modify the style itself through the Styles pane on the Home tab, but for a one-time change, it is usually easier to copy the text to a new paragraph with the Normal style.

If superscript or subscript text is too small to read, you can select it and increase the font size while keeping the superscript or subscript formatting. The text will stay raised or lowered but will be larger. There is no setting in Word to change how much smaller superscript and subscript text becomes — it is always proportional to the regular text size.

If you paste text from another program (like a website or PDF) and it loses superscript or subscript formatting, that is normal. The other program may not have sent the formatting information. You will need to reapply it in Word using the methods above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make superscript or subscript text a different color than the rest of my document?

Yes. Select the superscript or subscript text, then use the font color button on the Home tab (the A with a colored bar underneath). The color applies only to the selected text, regardless of whether it is superscript, subscript, or normal. You can also change the font itself for superscript or subscript text using the font dropdown.

Does superscript or subscript work in headers and footers?

Yes. Double-click the header or footer area to edit it, then select and format text the same way you would in the main document. The formatting will appear in the printed document and in any PDFs you create from it.

What if I need to type a superscript or subscript number that is more than one digit?

Select all the digits you want to format and explore superscript or subscript to them as a group. For example, to type 10³, type "10", select both characters, explore superscript, then type "3". Or turn on superscript before typing, type "10", turn it off, type the base number, turn superscript back on, and type "3".

Will superscript and subscript formatting stay if I save my document as a PDF?

Yes. When you export or save a Word document as a PDF, superscript and subscript formatting is preserved. The text will appear raised or lowered in the PDF exactly as it appears in Word.

Can I undo superscript or subscript formatting with Ctrl+Z?

Yes. If you just applied the formatting and want to undo it when ready, press Ctrl+Z. If you applied it several actions ago, pressing Ctrl+Z multiple times will eventually undo it, but you may undo other changes first. Using the keyboard shortcut or menu button a second time is usually faster.